Critiques of Smartboards
My view on the effectiveness of the Smartboard was not changed by either of the critiques completed by Michael Staton's Why Smartboards are a Dumb Initiative or Bill Ferriter's, Why I Hate Interactive Whiteboards. The use of Smartboards raise the interest and participation level of students because of the vast interaction that can occur. Children love interacting with the IWBs (Interactive Whiteboards) which is a way to keep the entire group engaged. This year was my first encounter with the Smartboard, and I was drawn to it like a magnet.
There are so many benefits; no more smelly markers or chalk dust flying everywhere. Spellcheck is a click away and students and teachers no longer have to be self conscious about their handwriting; different fonts may be selected. Teachers have the option of recording instruction in real-time and adding audio to allow for remedial work. You can highlight, circle, label, information found on the web. Topics can be researched via the web during whole group as questions are posed. The benefits are limitless.
The biggest argument that I heard from these two critiques was the cost. Yes, it may be costly, but I believe that it is a wonderful investment for the "millenial" students that we teach today. I believe periodic training should be provided and teachers should be required to produce at least one Smartboard lesson per week. Why Smartboards Are A Dumb Initiative and Why I Hate Interactive WhiteBoards are decent reads but with every change comes opposition. As for me, I think Smartboards are a fantastic use of technology in the classroom! The following blog provides additional benefits of the Smartboard benefits Teachers Love Smart Boards
The Chipper Series & EDM310 For Dummies
Click Here to View the Chipper Series
Poor Chipper, when it rains it pours. These video clips were hilarious. I definitely get the idea; excuses and procrastination will get you nowhere fast. Had Chipper put as much energy into her work as she did avoiding work and searching for an easier route, she could have avoided several pitfalls. So much wasted time, only to end up where you started with increased debt. This should be a required viewing for future EDM 310 students. You certainly will not succeed in EDM 310 by being a procrastinator or failing to come to class as it is in the real world.
There is a lot of work to be done in EDM 310 and you are required to research information, but it feels rewarding to accomplish an assignment and complete a task that you didn’t know you were capable of doing. I’m still waiting on a copy of EDM 310 for Dummies. It would definitely be on the University of South Alabama’s bestseller list. I think if I absolutely had to do a video, I would like to do a video on technology’s classroom benefits or perhaps random assignment tutorials.
I will repeat what I wrote for James Marshall since it also applies to you:
ReplyDeleteWay to go! It is always good to take a look at both sides of an issue as you have done. I am not sure that you are correct that these two skeptics are skeptics because of lack of use. Rather it is their teaching philosophies that form their concerns. SMARTBoards most often become ways for teachers to use "canned" programs that often reduce the possibilities for teacher and student creativity. But anything that engages the student is good. Kelly Hines says they should be used as "student tools" not "teacher tools." I think the money would be better spent giving the students their own tools to use in and out of school. But they are in Baldwin and Mobile schools so our task is now to figure out how they can be used most effectively and creatively. And you are part of that process!
I like your video idea idea. Maybe a final project?
I agree with you on the benefits of using smartboards. Some people say that it is a waste of money, but as Dr. Strange stated about Kelly Hines, they are student tools! This waste of money (as some people would say) is going to engage students and keep their attention focused on the task. I wish these were invented when I was in school. I know it would have helped my mind not to wonder so much! Ha! I can not wait for the opportunity to use them in my own classroom!
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